Contradictory advice

[bikerider]

I'm a bit confused by why the OP is confused
When you push your arms forward, your arse goes back automatically anyway

When you push your arms forward, the bike goes forward, your arse doesn't go back. I like to think of it this way which IMO is more practical.

 

[Bear-uk]

When you push your arms forward, the bike goes forward, your arse doesn't go back. I like to think of it this way which IMO is more practical.

Yes correct, but what I meant was that your bum ends up towards the rear because you have pushed the bike forward.

 

[SFG]

I've just been watching videos from two professional MTB instructors with regard to handling small drops and they give contradictory advice. One (American) says maintain the attack position and push your butt back. The other (UK) says straighten the arms to push the handle bars forward as you go over the drop. For someone trying to master this it's all very confusing. I've decided the ONLY realiable solution is trial and error so I'm going out on my bike now to practice. In the mean time which method do you use?

Repeat the same/similar drop(s) using one technique at a time. The more you practice, the better "feel" you will gain. Make adjustments based on this feeling. It will all come together and become natural with time, and you will be able to handle drops of increasing height. YouTube videos can be very helpful, but there's no substitute for practice.

 

[Rando_12345]

It's been said, but to make it simple:
At low speeds you need to move your weight back considerably.

At higher speeds the motion is much more subtle and if you are going really fast you barely need to do anything.

 

[DIomidis]

^This.
The whole idea is to control what the front wheel does between the time it leaves the edge and the rear wheel leaves the edge. These 4ft/120cm or what your wheelbase is, can be covered in a variety of speeds:

• If you move at 40kph = ~ 11 meters per second = you will cover the 1.2m in like 0.1 sec. A body (lets call it your front wheel) without any input from you will drop ~4cm or 1.5in during 0.1 sec. Doing "nothing" in that instance will make almost no difference and your front and rear wheels will touch almost at the same time.
• If you move at 4kph (slow walk speed) and you will need bit over 1 sec to cover the wheelbase of your bike, the front wheel will have time to drop nearly 5m / 16ft (it is not 9.8m in 1 sec, that's the ~acceleration not the speed). If it is a small drop, say less than 1/2 your wheel diameter, you probably be OK. Do the same on a big drop, 3ft or more, OTB is really hard to avoid riding passively.

Push the bars forward, try to manual/wheelie by preloading your fork and pushing your weight back, bunny hop, or w/e people suggest, are all ways to pretty much delay how much time "falling" the front wheel will get, before the rear wheel starts to drop, and its ofc completely dependent on the speed you have when your front wheel leaves the ground, and what you are comfortable and consistent doing at that speed.

 

[JoeBlow]

I think the trend of this post just proves that it is very hard to explain in words. IMO this is where the apparent contradictions creep in demanding further explanation which does some times clarify matters.

I have been practicing in the skills area and I can now comfortably ride small drops. Going at a good speed and simply maintaining the attack position seems to handle it OK. My issue now is translating that to drops on the trail which unfortunately still intimidate me. Thanks everyone I think I now just need to get on with doing it.

 

[RustyMTB]

I now just need to get on with doing it.

Yes, it's always a progression thing. Start small, work your way on at your own pace. Nothing will deter you more than taking on something outside your skill level & getting it wrong but equally, it's perfectly normal to feel nervy, it's the self preservation reflex. Persistence & progression are the keys, keep doing them & the fear will fall away.

 

[JoeBlow]

Um. Just as I was getting annoyed that he went to great lengths, in detail, on how to do something then said don't do that, his alter ego came on and pointed it out. If he acknowledges this why does he do it? It's very amusing but confusing, and annoying in equal measure. I think I just need to get out there and practice.

 

[Plyphon]

If you can ride off a kerb with both wheels landing at the same time, or the back wheel first, you can ride a drop!

 

[JoeBlow]

Yes, it's always a progression thing. Start small, work your way on at your own pace. Nothing will deter you more than taking on something outside your skill level & getting it wrong but equally, it's perfectly normal to feel nervy, it's the self preservation reflex. Persistence & progression are the keys, keep doing them & the fear will fall away.

To be more accurate I now think it must be the approaches and exits that intimidate me not the drop itself.

 

[RustyMTB]

intimidate me

You & me both brother. That's the thrill though, it's all about how you see it!

 

[Stihldog]

You & me both brother. That's the thrill though, it's all about how you see it!

“What doesn’t kill me…”.
Sometimes that’s the way I see it. I can’t do every 5’ drop though. And sometimes a 2’ drop causes some pause. Maybe I’m starting to overthink the consequences. My adrenaline needs are slightly shrinking thanks to time.

 

[Mikerb]

“What doesn’t kill me…”.
Sometimes that’s the way I see it. I can’t do every 5’ drop though. And sometimes a 2’ drop causes some pause. Maybe I’m starting to overthink the consequences. My adrenaline needs are slightly shrinking thanks to time.

Yep.....no prizes for heroes...riding is supposed to be fun. As with any extreme sport you mitigate the potential dangers and then either commit or avoid. My mate is currently 4 weeks into a minimum of 6 week shoulder injury recovery after a crash.......very frustrating for him.

 

[Stihldog]

Yep.....no prizes for heroes...riding is supposed to be fun. As with any extreme sport you mitigate the potential dangers and then either commit or avoid. My mate is currently 4 weeks into a minimum of 6 week shoulder injury recovery after a crash.......very frustrating for him.

I mostly agree . (Boring rant to follow)
Over the past several years I provided “chicken-lanes” on some of the black-diamond trails. The other volunteer trail builders have started to implement these for some of the features they create. IMO there’s many benefits for doing this.

Sometimes I can’t, or won’t, ride a feature that’s beyond my skill level, but I like the trail. This opens up the trail for group rides with riders of different skills. However, there must be a time penalty for choosing a “chicken-lane “. It can’t be a short-cut.

Some of the features I see here are frightening. Red Bull Stuff. The North Shore, Squamish, Whistler and others have the money and population. We don’t. It seems like the “Wild West” sometimes …but everyone gets along.
Rant over.

 

[Mikerb]

I mostly agree . (Boring rant to follow)
Over the past several years I provided “chicken-lanes” on some of the black-diamond trails. The other volunteer trail builders have started to implement these for some of the features they create. IMO there’s many benefits for doing this.

Sometimes I can’t, or won’t, ride a feature that’s beyond my skill level, but I like the trail. This opens up the trail for group rides with riders of different skills. However, there must be a time penalty for choosing a “chicken-lane “. It can’t be a short-cut.

Some of the features I see here are frightening. Red Bull Stuff. The North Shore, Squamish, Whistler and others have the money and population. We don’t. It seems like the “Wild West” sometimes …but everyone gets along.
Rant over.

Not a rant. I have 3 bikes only one of which is set up for full enduro whilst the other 2 are set up as trail bikes. There are features I will ride on the enduro bike but not the trail bikes so the option to bypass a feature is I think completely sensible.